


A Very Hale Halloween

by Demimonde (teakturn)



Series: Hale For The Holidays [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Halloween, Love Potion/Spell, M/M, Pack Family, Pack Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-26 14:34:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12559544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teakturn/pseuds/Demimonde
Summary: Stiles decides this is the year the Hale family gets back to old Hale traditions.





	A Very Hale Halloween

Halloween in the Hale House has always been a big deal. In the past, James would bring down the Halloween decorations about mid July. August and September was when he stockpiled on new spooky decorations and started planning his annual Halloween Party. Since no one in their right mind would trick or treat this far out into the woods, one of the adults would take the kids candy hunting in town, while the party for adults back at the house stayed in full swing until dawn. 

Last year they were still in the process of rebuilding the house so Halloween was just another movie marathon and pack sleepover. This year Stiles is determined to bring back his Uncle’s tradition. 

On the last day of summer Stiles called a house meeting. The packs numbers had grown by three, with Scott, Lydia, and Allison Argent all in attendance. Melissa sent her love, and dinner, along with Scott while she went to work her graveyard shift at the hospital. 

Stiles was almost certain something was going on between Cora and Lydia and he knew his plan for a Halloween party would be the perfect excuse to throw those two together. Lydia and Cora would insist he keep his Spark nose out of their business. But if Stiles had watched them circle one another for almost a year now. Either he helped them make a move or their first date would be the twins’ graduation. 

When he’d finally gotten the pack quiet and attentive in the living room Stiles began, “I’m sure you’re all wondering why I gathered you here today.” He tried to speak loud enough so that those not present would be able to hear him clearly. Laura and Derek squinted from the laptop screen balanced on the coffee table. 

“I just came to remind everyone in attendance that Stiles does not have the authority to call pack meetings,” Talia spoke up from her favorite armchair. 

Stiles scowled playfully at her until she added with a smile, “With that said Stiles has the floor and I want you all to listen to what he has to say.” Talia’s tone became pointed as she stared specifically at Ella and Emma. 

The twins were preteens and somehow even more terrifying than they had been as children. Both girl's had their hands folded in their laps innocently. Stiles didn’t doubt for a second they had something nasty waiting for the next person to fall into one of their pranks. He didn’t buy their girly girl rainbows and horses schtick for one second. Ella and Emma are the product of Peter, they were born with troublemaking in their genes. 

Stiles cleared his throat and started in the deepest voice his seventeen year old voice could muster, “As you know there’s been a noticeable lack of holiday cheer in this family since the fire. I say that, if not for the sake of tradition then for the sake of the _children_ ,” Arguably the only actual kid in the room was Matty. To make a point Stiles reached out to pull the little boy to the front of the room. As he approached he noticed a gleam in the little boys eyes and just barely managed to get his fingers on him before he bolted from the room. 

The four year old was mysteriously sticky and surprisingly quick for a human child. The struggling was a game to him, even as Stiles was starting to breath heavy from the strain of supporting Matty with just the strength of his arms. Giggles and childish screams from Matty had the pack laughing. Helpfully Laura suggested Stiles watch his head as he tried to keep the tenuous grip he had on one ankle and the back of Matty’s shirt.

Stiles couldn’t manage to get a good grip on him until he broke and whispered, “I’ll give you candy if you go along with what I’m trying to do here.”

Instantly Matty went still and raised his hand for the promised treat. Stiles snorted, “You little con artist.” With the Matty now much more cooperative, Stiles lifted him up Lion King style and declared, “This little boy has tragically been bereft of the joy that is Holiday with the Hale’s”

There was a noticeable silence after Stiles’ words. He knew he should have made them rehearse this. Stiles pouted at his cousin until Kat rolled her eyes. She and Stiles has already made a deal, no matter how much she regretted it. With a monotone voice she said, “Oh yes, I remember. We used to wear matching pajamas and watch Christmas movies.” Upon Stiles’ glare she attached a fake smile to the end of her sentence. 

Not exactly what he’d paid for. At least he knew that from Kat that was the best he’d get without selling his soul to the girl. The rest of the family watched the train wreck that was Stiles’ presentation with varying levels of amusement. Derek at least looked supportive, then again Stile could be looking at the laptop screen at an odd angle. 

“Uncle Peter remember how you and dad would take turns lifting every kid so they could place the Star on top of the tree?” Laura said, much more convincingly from the weak speakers of Stiles’ laptop. 

Peter, who’d been lurking on the stairs the entire time, perked his head up at the mention of his name. Peter looked actually confused, but Stiles knew he was just playing dumb. He and Stiles had gone over the script for this meeting six times. 

“You know Stiles, for as long as we’ve been best friends I don’t think I’ve had the….pleasure of a traditional Hale Holiday.” Scott, ever the trooper, said his line exactly as they had practiced it. Except for his addition of the word ‘pleasure’. He and Allison were on another will they/won’t they phase. Scott thought that if he used bigger words it’d make Allison think him more mature. 

Stiles didn’t think it really worked that way but he couldn’t begrudge his best friend for trying. 

“Stiles,” Aunt Anna, pregnant again, this time with twins, spoke from her seat on the best cushion on the couch with an excited smile, “Are you sure you want to take over as family party planner? You know how much work goes into it right?”

Stiles didn’t actually understand how adults actually planned parties. The only parties he’d ever gone to were planned either by Lydia or James. All he had to do was wear what they told him, show up when they wanted him to, and smile appropriately for pictures. He’d actually been hoping that once he put the idea of restarting the parties out there one of the adults would take over. Now that he thought about it the actual planning of the party sounded awful. He didn’t have it in him to do everything that Uncle James used to do. He also didn’t want to give his family anything less. Stiles locked eyes with Lydia, sitting next to Cora and looking through the phone in her hand.

“Lyds,” Stiles prodded. Her eyebrow raised in acknowledgement. 

Stiles swayed Matty closer to her, forcing the full power of the adorable four year old in her face. Lydia sighed and gracefully power walked over to Stiles’ spot in the middle of the living room, “Of course he doesn’t which is why I’m going to be helping him.” She turned to Stiles and fixed him with a scarily confident smile, “You owe me for this and I don’t come cheap.”

“Why do I have a feeling I’m going to have to pay dearly for your help?” Stiles still put Matty back on the floor with a breath of relief. He was so lucky Lydia was willing to take over like this. Then again Lydia had thrown the best parties since kindergarten when she had Barney come into class and pass out invitations and cupcakes for her sixth birthday. Who else would he have asked to help him?

“Oh you are,” Lydia smiled sweetly. A second later his phone chimed with a new message. On the screen a message from Lydia read, _You’re going to get me a date with your cousin and you’re in charge of kid wrangling._

 _Deal._ Stiles turned to his Aunt, the Alpha, to see if she was fine with his plan. With Talia’s nod of approval and Peter’s insistence that everyone in the pack help Lydia plan the best Halloween party possible, Stiles was smug that his plan had turned out so nicely. 

 

“You were too cocky,” Derek sympathized during their video chat two weeks later. 

“No, I underestimated your sister's ability to be emotionally incompetent and Matty’s ability to be really good at running away from me.” Stiles grumbled around a mouthful of CheeseSquares. 

Stiles was a mess in a stained t-shirt and sweats, but Derek could really only see from the shoulders up. Not to mentioned Derek’s known him since he was taking off his diaper at the lake. No matter how disgusting Stiles gets Derek loved him anyway. Derek looked unfairly hot in his pajamas.

“What’s she doing now?” 

“Going on another perimeter run and ignoring Lydia’s calls.” Stiles dropped his head into his hands, “Why did I think playing matchmaker would be easy. I barely got us together.”

Derek’s laugh was sweet. It warmed something in Stiles’ heart when he heard it. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to it, this closeness and openness he had with Derek. Stiles had been so worried, when Derek expressed his desire to follow Laura to New York for college that they’d drift apart or his old issues with abandonment would crop up. Luckily Derek was just as needy as Stiles. They called each other before bed every night, and every full moon Stiles felt Derek’s wolf settling close to his Spark. Their bond made sure no matter the distance, Stiles would never miss Derek. 

“Well how’s the party planning going?” Derek was the first to hear of Stiles’ plan to bring back holiday cheer within the family. He was the one who eventually encouraged Stiles to stop being a coward and speak up.

“Amazing, of course. It’s Lydia.” Stiles peeked from between his fingers. “She rented out the ballroom at the only nice hotel in town. It looks amazing Derek, and I’ve only seen the half finished product.”

Lydia had somehow roped the lacrosse team into being her party planning minions. They lifted the heavy stuff and hung up decorations to her specification with only minor complaining. Stiles personally suspected that the help was because of blackmail. Lydia and Jackson, the captain of the lacrosse team, had been until recently Beacon Hills High School’s power couple. Lydia’s banshee powders manifested and she started magic lessons with Deaton and Stiles which left her little time for a high school boyfriend. 

Add her busy schedule to the sting of being told by Talia that he would never receive the Bite, and Stiles is sure he knows the exact reason why Jackson’s enlisted the help of his teammates.

Derek suggested he try a different way to pay Lydia for the party. Stiles didn’t even have it in him to glare at his boyfriend’s naivety. “Lydia doesn’t negotiate her price.” and then an idea hit Stiles like a brick to the head. “Unless I can give her what she wants without exactly giving her what she wants.”

Stiles leapt from his desk chair and rushed over to his closet. The rebuilt Hale house was more soundproofed than the previous one had been. Which is why a) Stiles felt comfortable video chatting with Derek in the house and b) he kept most of his more dangerous potions and spells in a chest at the bottom of his closet. Aunt Anna was strictly on mom duty and had, for the moment, taken a break from magic. Aunt Allegra was in South America visiting family so Stiles hasn’t had anyone paying too close attention to what he gets up to with his magic. 

“Stiles maybe you should rethink this?” Derek’s voice sounded tiny from Stiles’ laptop. Stiles used that as justification for grabbing the potion anyway.

“It’s just a tiny love spell. Cora will crush on Lydia hard, they’ll go on a few dates, and boom!” Stiles clapped his hands together and almost sent the potion bottle crashing to the floor. He only just barely caught the bottle before it truly slipped out of his grip. “Halloween Party Fun for everyone.”

“Or, Cora finds out you tried to spell her and she punches you so hard your ribs concave.” Derek deadpanned, “And then I have to go all the way back to California and kill my sister to avenge your death.”

Derek made it sound like a bad thing, but Stiles could only feel flattered, “Aw you’d kill your sister to avenge my death?”

Derek’s sigh was familiar and heavy. It said, “Why do I love this dork?” and Stiles usually answered him by kissing him on his cheek. Just thinking about kissing Derek made the fact that he missed him feel so much sharper and cutting. The light from Derek’s bedside lamp made his skin look warm and inviting. Shadows hugged the contours of his cheekbones and hid one of his eyes completely. Stiles wanted to crawl into bed with him and hold him close. The last time Stiles had even seen his boyfriend in person was his birthday. He missed him so much his heart ached.

“Are you gonna be able to make it up here?” Stiles asked, he resat himself on the bed so Derek could see him again.

When Derek’s face contorted, and his green eyes turned apologetic, Stiles already knew the answer. He couldn’t help the slump of his shoulders or that sickening disappointed feeling rising from the pit of his stomach to clog his throat. 

“It’s okay if you can’t,” Stiles waved away the very idea of Derek visiting like it was preposterous he’d even asked. “I understand.”

Derek tried to apologize but Stiles assured him he had nothing to be sorry for. He was in school, in New York. Stiles knows better than to hope Derek will just drop everything and come across the country to see him.  
“Laura’s coming back but I have a midterm I can’t miss.” Derek sounds frustrated, and Stiles feels worse for ruining the mood. They talk for a few minutes more before Stiles begs off to go to sleep and Derek lets him. There’s the usual promise to talk tomorrow, and then Stiles is alone again, clutching a love potion tightly in his fist.

 

It takes careful planning and bribing on his part, but Stiles manages to get the living room to himself two days after his chat with Derek. Cora and Lydia have made it nearly impossible to get them in the same room together, but Stiles’ plan tonight will solve all of that. With a carefully selected movie and popcorn choice,Halloweentown and kettle corn, Stiles was confident that his plan would come together perfectly tonight. All he had to do was make sure Cora and Lydia drank from the same cup of punch and the love potion would work it’s magic.

Stiles and Allison were the first to arrive, holding hands and both blushing profusely. Stiles made sure to give his buddy an approving thumbs up when Allison wasn’t looking, before instructing them to go into the living room and help themselves to the snacks. Melissa had sort of taken over grocery shopping for the family, it made sense since she did a lot of the cooking, and she always made sure to get enough food and snacks to feed an army.

Lydia was the next to arrive, looking unfairly gorgeous at five in the afternoon, she breezed into the Hale living room like she owned the space and took a careful seat on the loveseat closest to the tv. After making sure she was all set with snacks and company, Stiles went upstairs in search of Cora.

Cora and Kat had opted to share a room once the construction on the house had completed. True to nature they’d made sure to pick a room as far from the first floor as possible. By the time Stiles had dragged himself onto the final landing, he was wheezing a bit and wished he had werewolf stamina. That’s how Kat and Cora found him, laying on the floor at the threshold of their door.

“Oh look it’s a wheezing Stilinski,” Kat drawled. Her dark hair had been piled into a bun and her dark eyes studied him intently.

“Movie...night...downstairs...want in?” Stiles gasped out.

Cora shrugged before stepping over him and making her way downstairs at a much quicker pace. Kat studying him a long moment before sniffing the air and smirking, “Why do I get the feeling I’m not invited?”

Stiles tried not to glare at her, he was still too breathless to put up and fight and Kat played dirty, “You can come. I know if I tell you otherwise you’ll just invite yourself anyway.”

“Aren’t you worried I’ll ruin your little plan?” Kat sing-songed. Stiles made a face at her and then turned to make his way downstairs.

“Come if you want Kat, I can’t stop you.”

“Of course you can’t stop me, but that’s not the point. The point is I could stop you,” Stiles paused on the first step at her words. Kat continued with a tease, “Or make it very difficult for you to succeed. Either way it’s a win for me.”

Regretting it already, Stiles turned and fixed Kat with an unamused glare, “Name your price.”

“For my silence?” Kat tapped a finger against the olive toned tip of her chin. She had Derek’s coloring, dark and pretty. Only Derek was actually a sweetheart deep down, Stiles was almost certain that Kat was made of hellfire or demon blood.

“I want you to get me a dance with Jackson at the Halloween party.” Kat said.

Stiles picked at his ear to make sure he heard her correctly before asking, “Did I just hear you ask me what I think you just asked me?”

Kat rolled her eyes before fixing Stiles with an imperious glare, “You’re already playing matchmaker. If you don’t want the two love birds clued in to your little scheme then you’ll give me what I want.”

Stiles groaned, “Why can’t you get him to dance with you?” Kat is beautiful, even Stiles could admit it. The delicate birdlike bone structure she’d had in their childhood have only matured to make her even more beautiful as a teenager. Her hair was dark and long and fell across one thin shoulder in a shiny ebony curtain. Stiles knew plenty of guys, in his grade alone, who would chop off their legs for the chance to dance with Kat.

“He’s all hung up on Lydia!” Kat complained, “He won’t move on as long as he thinks he still has a shot-”

“And Lydia won’t move on because Cora is an emotional blockhead who runs from her feelings.” Stiles was starting to see why Kat needed his help.

Honestly Stiles hadn’t even known Kat liked people. Aside from her little brothers and Cora, Kat had little patience for people. She either found you boring or stupid or both and she wasn’t afraid to let you know. Stiles can’t even begin to figure out where she gets her mean streak, Aunt Anna is as sweet as cotton candy and Uncle Jeremy is one of the nicest guys Stiles knows.

“Maybe kindness skips a generation?” Stiles wondered aloud.

Kat frowned, “What?”

Stiles shook his head to gather his thoughts, “Nothing.” He stuck his hand out, “Okay I’ll help you. But you have to promise to go downstairs and _behave._ ”

Kat smirked, which should have put Stiles on edge, but she mimed zipping her lips before gracefully skipping down the stairs. Before following her down Stiles sent a quick text to Jackson informing him of the movie night and Lydia’s attendance. He told the guy to be there in thirty minutes or miss out on everything.

When he finally set down the stairs once more, Stiles sent a tiny prayer to his mom that she keep this night from spiraling out of control. But then again what could happen. All he had to do was pour the potion into one cup and make sure the right people drank out of it. Lydia would get her date, Kat would get her dance, and Stiles could finally breathe easy again.

 

When Jackson arrived he squeezed himself onto the loveseat with Lydia and Cora, much to the confusion of the rest of the room. Stiles himself didn’t even want to deal with it so he just dimmed the lights put on the movie and started passing the popcorn around. The teenagers watched the movie in rapt silence and for a moment Stiles was so wrapped up in the beauty and wit of Debbie Reynolds that he almost missed Lydia’s hushed whisper.

“Would you like a drink? I’m gonna go get myself one.” She was talking to Cora from across Jackson. Cora began to stand up instead, “It’s okay I’ll get it,” she whispered back. 

Her movement snapped Stiles out of his focus on the movie and he stood from his seat next to Scott like he’d been electrocuted, “I got the drinks!” He rushed off to the kitchen before anyone could stop him.

Using some read plastic cups left over from a barbecue earlier in the summer, Stiles carefully poured six cups of punch. He’d made the love potion himself back at the height of his infatuation with Lydia. A part of him wondered if potions could expire. The other part of him really wanted his Halloween party to go off without a hitch. Without wasting any time he poured three drops of the scentless potion into one of the cups before returning the stopper and putting it back in his pocket.

Stiles didn’t want to make more than one trip so he gathered all six cups into his arms and carried them into the living room. He passed the potionless drinks to Scott, Allison, Kat, and Jackson. When he stood in front of Lydia and Cora with only two cups in his hands, he had a real moment of doubt. Is it, okay...that he’s doing this? Lydia would be furious if he knew he spelled her without her permission, and Cora would probably literally murder him.

Stiles knew they liked each other, that wasn’t the problem. After that first fall back in school, Lydia had more than proven herself as a friend and a member of the pack. She bought clothes for Cora, Kat, and the rest of the little kids when she heard all they had was lost and found articles from the hospital. When the family fortune had been tied up with the investigation, Lydia brought Laura and Derek a freaking binder of college pamphlets and scholarship applications.

Just this past summer Lydia practically lived at the Hale house. Her hair turned gold in the summer sun after their countless trips to the lake in the Preserve. He’d noticed Cora’s staring first, but it hadn’t taken long to see that Lydia was looking after his cousin in the same way. That didn’t mean though, that giving them this potion was right. Just because the feelings were already there, didn’t mean he was crossing some major consent issues by giving them this drink.

Lydia and Cora looked up at him impatiently. “Stilinski are you gonna give us our drinks or just stare at us all night.”

Stiles stared between the two girls, before finally snapping out of his thoughts with a goofy smile, “Oh crap I totally forgot your cup back in the kitchen. Let me go get it.”

Stiles rushed back to the kitchen, pouring out both cups of punch. He threw them both away and got three new cups. By the time he made it back to the living room, Marnie had saved Halloweentown and a wild assortment of monsters was cheering her on. Stiles handed Lydia and Cora their drinks and then resettled into his seat next to Scott. 

While his friends discussed the movie and, eventually, their costumes for Halloween, Stiles found that he didn’t have much enthusiasm for the party. With the hope that Derek would come back for Halloween Stiles had gone ahead and made a couples costume for the both of them. He would be Jack Frost, and Derek would be Heat Miser. Now that he knew for a fact that Derek wouldn’t be there, he found the subject of Halloween to be one of disappointment.

The rest of the night passed without much incident. Lydia and Cora moved from the loveseat to sitting on the floor together, going over a catalogue of costumes on Lydia’s phone. Scott and Allison left soon after Halloweentown ended. Allison may be apart of the pack now, but her parents were still super strict about how late she could be out in the Preserve. Especially with Scott.

This left Cora, Lydia, Jackson, and Kat as Stiles’ only company. Stiles was just about to entice Kat into throwing what was left of the popcorn into his mouth, only to look over and see she was already occupied. Jackson, who’d moved when Stiles wasn’t paying attention, was sitting next to her on the large couch. He couldn't see what they were doing from his angle, but Kat’s feminine giggle was enough to give him some idea.

Stiles looked towards Cora and Lydia to see if he could play third wheel with the two of them, only to find both girl's missing. He turned to look over the couch just to see both of them step up and out of sight.

Rude, Stiles thought. But their departure gave him a reason to go up into his room and video chat with his long distance boyfriend at least. He wouldn’t even feel bad about leaving Kat and Jackson without saying goodbye. A quick glance over at the two of them made it pretty clear that even if he had wanted to say goodbye they were so wrapped up in one another they wouldn’t have noticed.

 

Twas the night of the Halloween Party and pretty much everyone in Beacon Hills was in attendance. Well, almost everyone. Stiles had been sending Derek pictures of Lydia’s handiwork all night. Mostly to show his boyfriend what he was missing out on but also to keep up the appearance that he was busy.

Even though Lydia had planned everything from the vendors to the skeleton head streamers, everyone in town knew that he was responsible for their being there that night. When he’d arrived with Matty, looking adorable in a ladybug costume and a child leash, he’d been stopped by adults he hadn’t seen since elementary school, thanking him for the evening. It was weird enough being stopped by Hillary Clinton’s and Batman’s, but having adults try to thank him for the party felt like too much.

The party started at six and was in full swing by nine thirty. All of the Hales, minus two, was in attendance. This would probably the first time in almost two years that the town has seen the full pack at once. Many adults approached Talia to talk about problems within the town. The new Sheriff, a young guy named Parrish, stood close to his aunt's side. It was such a sight to see his aunt, looking royal and majestic dressed as a Greek Goddess standing next to lanky Parrish in a cowboy costume.

There was a dance floor filled with ghouls and goblins of all ages. The edges of the room had penny games with prizes, while the center of the room housed tables for the adults who just wanted to sit down in peace. The food was spectacular, Stiles himself had already mowed down two plates, and had been eyeing the buffet table near the dancefloor for a while now.

Matty, however, had different plans. He wanted to play every game in the room. Stiles couldn’t blame him for it. Like a carnival or a fair you had your usual staples of ringtoss, guess the weight, balloon darts, etc. But where Lydia’s careful planning and genius comes in, is that even if you lose you get candy. The plush prizes looked nice and all, but the name brand candy that you won even if you sucked kept each game flush with people willing to try their luck.

Matty had taken Stiles to each game twice and he didn’t look any closer to slowing down. Stiles couldn’t even complain. It’s not like he had a boyfriend to sneak kisses with under the spider web canopy. It’s not like he had a boyfriend to dance with. Stiles had a four year old human hopped up on chocolate and caramel vibrating like a little energizer bunny.

The rest of the town looked happy at least. Kat, dressed as a cat burglar, had Jackson following her around like a puppy. He’d chose to dress, unoriginally, as Batman. His cousin looked happy though so Stiles didn’t let the costume get to him. Cora, dressed surprisingly like a princess, had been circling the room all night with her glass of punch. Lydia was in hostess mode. She looked beautiful Poison Ivy. Stiles had been trying to find a way to get those two near each other all night.

It was just his luck when he ended up running into Cora while waiting for Matty to finish using the bathroom. As she approached Stiles opened his mouth to compliment her gown, it was crimson red and elaborately embroidered with gold. Her face was as red as her costume and she glared at Stiles with Beta gold eyes, “You gave Kat a _love potion_!”

Stiles’ mouth bobbed, “N-no!” he stuttered.

“Then why is she telling Lydia that you gave her a love potion to help her get Jackson?” Cora’s fury calmed some when she heard the truth in Stiles’ admission. She still looked panicked though and was staring at Stiles with real hurt and confusion in her eyes.

Stiles swallowed dryly, “I...Lydia only agreed to plan the party if I promised to get her a date with you. But every time I tried to get you two together it never worked out and I was worried Lydia would stop helping. So I... “ She would hit him, Stiles was already folding in on himself to minimize how much the punch, when Cora punched him, would hurt.

“I was gonna have you two drink a bit of this love potion I had.”

“What!” Cora’s eyes turned gold again. 

Stiles raised his hands in surrender, “Look I didn’t give it to you because I realized just how awful it would be to force you two together. I don’t know how Kat got that potion to Jackson but it wasn’t from me.”

Cora believed him, but she was still obviously angry, “I told you to butt out! Now because of you I have to stop Kat from slipping my girlfriend a love potion!” Cora picked up her skirts and ran back into the thick of the party. 

Stiles was still stunned when Matty finally came out of the bathroom. His ladybug antennae was lopsided on his curly head. Stiles attempted to straighten the headband while the little boy was mercifully still. Matty took off the second Stiles finished right into his father’s arms. Uncle Jeremy was dressed as a Frankenstein, his height sold the costume but the smile he gave his youngest son broke the monster facade.  
“My ladybug is being good for Stiles isn’t he?” Stiles heard his Uncle ask. Matty smiled coyly at his father, then shook his curly head. Uncle Jeremy didn’t scold his son. He simply tickled him until he apologized and then tickled him some more before putting him back on the ground.

“You seen your Aunt?” Jeremy asked Stiles.

Stiles shrugged, “The Avocado or the Goddess?” Aunt Anna had decided to put her pregnant belly to use with her costume. It was the pit to her felt avocado and she thought the whole thing hilarious. Stiles had caught her more than once looking at herself in the mirror and laughing hysterically.

Jeremy gave Stiles a pointed look and Stiles sighed, “Last I saw she was trying to get Kieran to win her a stuffed wolf at the guess your weight booth.” 

Jeremy nodded and then picked Matty up again, “I’m gonna go find her and make sure she gets some food and some rest. I’ll take my ladybug with me. I can see he’s had enough candy.” 

Before Jeremy can turn away, Stiles reached out to his Uncle, “I think I really messed up with Cora and Lydia. And Kat somehow got a love potion that if anyone asks I had nothing to do with but she’s gonna use it on people and-”

“Look Stiles, I know you want to help everyone out, it’s exactly what Claudia would have done if she were still here.” Stiles cheeks warmed at the mention of his mother. His Uncle looked sincere underneath all the green makeup. He allowed himself to relax at his Uncle's words.

“What am I gonna do about Kat and that love potion?” Stiles asked.

“I think….the situation may have just been handled for you.” Uncle Jeremy was staring at something over Stiles’ shoulder with an amused expression.

A loud crash cut through the noise in the room and at once everyone turned to see what had caused it. Kat and Cora, both covered in punch and fuming in partial Beta shift stood over the empty punch bowl.

“You idiot!” Kat exclaimed. Her hair was plastered sticky all over her face. Cora’s dress was soaked put her hair relatively dry. She glared back at Kat with her hands on her hips.

“I told you to put the stupid potion away!” Cora yelled.

Both girl's lunged towards each other claws extended. A roar ripped through the room, freezing them both where they stood. “Thats enough!” The Alpha called. Both girl's buckled under the force of the order, but their glares never faltered.

Talia approached the girl's and grabbed them by their ears. As she walked away the music Stiles hadn’t heard stop started up again. And the staff Lydia hired appeared with a new bowl of punch and a mop. In seconds the scene had started and ended, and in minutes it looked like it’d never have happened.

Stiles turned back to his Uncle and smiled in relief, “Well that’s taken care of.”

Jeremy smirked, “I wouldn’t be so sure.” He ruffled Stiles’ hair and walked away. Matty waved at Stiles over his shoulder.

“ _Genim Stilinski!_ ” Talia’s voice cracked in the air like a whip. Stiles flinched as if hit. Just as he thought he was free.

 

“This is all your fault!”

“How is this my fault?”

“If you’d have just let me give Lydia a drink we wouldn’t be in this mess right now.”

“I don’t need a love potion to make my girlfriend like me.”

“If she actually is your girlfriend.”

“Shouldn't you be changing Jackson's diaper right now?”

It was eleven o’clock and Stiles had considered sticking gummy bears in his ears to block out the sound but he didn’t really enjoy the idea of waking up with ants in his ear. Cora and Kat hadn’t shut up since Aunt Talia banished them both at to the table. When she’d brought Stiles over he’d sat down to them nudging one another with their elbows. They’d somehow made a joint decision to give Stiles the silent treatment. Only passive aggressive jabs said to each other about _him_ weren’t off limits apparently.

“It’s not my fault Stiles thought you were so pathetic you needed a love spell to get your girlfriend in the first place.” Kat was attempting to dry her hair with the pumpkin printed paper napkins on the table. She was having modest success.

“Says the girl who used a love spell to get Jackson Whittemore of all people.”

“Could you guys stop! You’re not making this situation any better.” Stiles snapped. He managed to stun his cousins into silence. The silence stretched like taffy until Stiles finally broke and added in a soft voice, “I just wanted this Halloween party to be perfect. Things are finally getting back to normal. I was wrong for making a deal with Lydia to get you two together. And I was wrong for almost using the love potion. I’m sorry.”

His cousins continued to stare at him, stunned. Cora was the first to break the silence by mumbling, “Lydia wanted to go on a date with me?”

“I thought she was your girlfriend?” Kat sneered.

“Shut up Kat!” Cora and Stiles snapped in unison. Kat pouted and sunk lower into her seat with a scowl.

“I was going to ask her out, for real ask her out. But she had just broken up with Jackson and done all this stuff for the family…” Cora trailed off. She was staring into the thick of the party but Stiles had no doubt she was looking at Lydia.

“Cora Lydia likes you. She planned this party for me just to get a date with you.” Stiles said.

Cora looked conflicted still, nervous. Stiles didn’t think he’d ever seen that look on her face before. Cora always exuded this cool nonchalance like most of the Hales. Stiles can’t remember ever hearing about Cora even having a crush, realizing that she really like Lydia was surprising.

“Look, go out there and ask her to dance. I can guarantee she’ll say yes.” Stiles pushed. Cora searched his eyes, she found the answer she needed through his heartbeat. With a deep breath, she stood from the table and disappeared into the crowd presumably towards Lydia.

“What are you gonna do when Aunt Talia comes back and finds her gone?” Kat asked.

Stiles looked at his cousin and shrugged, “I figure if we’re all gone she has to find us before she can yell at us.” Kat matched his knowing smirk. She stood from the table gracefully and walked away with her head held high. She looked so confident you barely noticed the squeaky of her sticky catsuit.

 

Stiles found himself drifted outside of the ballroom and in the hotel courtyard. In support of the party the hotel itself had actually put up a few simple decorations. Bushes were covered in a thin layer of cottony cobwebbs and pumpkin lanterns floated in the fountain. The noise from the party sounded distant enough to be ignored, leaving Stiles in the tranquility of the empty outdoor area.

As he sat at the edge of the fountain he pushed the lanterns around on the still water. He shivered in his costume and tried not to think about how complete this night would be if Derek were here. He’d given his family the perfect Halloween party, and he’d sort of gotten his cousin her dream girl. The night should feel complete in a big orange and black bow, yet it felt incomplete.  
Stiles shivered again when his finger missed the paper lantern and slipped into the chilly water. Bringing a jacket had slipped his mind in the rush to get the whole family ready in time for the party. Plus his costume Jedi robes and slippers he’d gotten from the bottom of his closet, had seemed warm enough for the too warm October night. The wind blew through the fabric of his thin robes and Stiles wished for a big wolf space heater to curl up to.

“You promised me you’d bring a jacket the next time you went out at night.”

“No I promised I wear a jacket if I went out into the preserve at night-” Stiles answered on reflex and then paused. He turned around fast enough to slip off the fountain lip and onto the pebbled ground.

“Derek?” Stiles called. The courtyard was well lit but yard surrounding it was dim. His eyes strained to see through the darkness, because he knows he’s just heard his boyfriend. He was lovesick but he wasn’t lovesick enough to start hallucinating.

Said boyfriend emerged from the treeline in a familiar leather jacket with his own cheeks slightly pinked from the cold. Stiles didn’t even let Derek approach. As soon as he saw him, and oh how his eyes missed looking at him, Stiles was on his feet. He charged at Derek at top speed, knocking into him and trusting him to catch him while Stiles focused on more important things. Like kissing Derek and holding Derek and breathing in the scent of him and feeling the blessed warmth of his skin.

Derek endured Stiles excited wiggling and manoeuvring with a big goofy smile and Stiles felt his heart soar. “You are here!” He hugged Derek close and relished the feel of him holding him back.

“I got on a plane as soon as my midterm was over.” Derek said into the skin of Stiles neck. He’d buried his nose into the space right under his jaw and didn’t seem to want to leave the spot.

“Thank you so much you just made my night.” Stiles squeezed Derek closer, as if that were possible, and breathed in the rich smell of his cologne and soap and the slightly stale smell of airplane air.

“Did your plan work out?” Derek asked into the crown of Stiles’ head. He’d move from breathing in Stiles’ scent to scenting him. Stiles was trying his best to reciprocate.

“Let’s save that for later when Talia grounds me in front of the whole town.” Stiles rubbed his cheek against the side of Derek’s neck. His wolf practically purred in response.

Stiles didn’t care what came next, he had his wolf, he had his party, and his family was happy. All in all, Stiles was having a happy Halloween.


End file.
